Project Seven- Turning a Footboard into a Headboard

My in-laws gave us the footboard and bed rails to a bedframe that they have. They are still using the headboard but felt that the whole frame was too large to use in a small bedroom, so the remaining pieces were sitting in the basement collecting dust.

Before



Testing to find the right stain combination...



After

What you will need:

- footboard (preferrably with bed rails)

- 2 pieces of wood similarly sized to the legs of the existing footboard (in this case oak)
- a single piece of wood similarly sized to the existing bed rails
- table saw
- drill and screws
- wood glue
- wood dowels

- stain

- paintbrush
- painters tape

How to do it:

This project is more complicated then previous ones so it would be helpful to have someone (in my case my husband) who has experience with wood working.
Begin by cutting the new bed rail to the appropriate length (i.e. it should be the same length as is the width of the existing footboard). Next, cut the new bed legs down so that they are at an appropriate height so that the entire bed will be level. Attach the new bed rail to the new legs via drilling 3 small holes into each piece and attching them together with wood glue and wood dowels. Attach the new legs to the existing bed rails by screwing through the existing bed rails into the new bed legs.
Once the bed is put together, on a test board combine various stains until you find something that is close to the existing stain colour. Finally stain the new section of the bed to match the existing section. Remember to use painters tape to protect the seams of the existing section of the bed.